Hello iPhone users! I am considering to get a Skype number. How do you like the services? On Skype's website, it states that "No emergency calls with Skype. Skype is not a replacement for your telephone and can't be used for emergency calling" I guess one of the most important uses of cell phones is to ask for help during emergency. How come Skype does not allow its users to use the service in life and death situation? Is there a way to get around this using the iPhone? Thanks.
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Why no emergency calls with Skype?
- Thread starter hajime
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There a number of reasons, but not the least of which is location. Telco's use you location to call the closest emergency line, Skype wouldn't have any way of determining that. Skype isn't not a replacement for a real phone.
With that said though, even if you aren't a subscriber I believe carriers are required by law to allow emergency calls on any phone.
If we make the emergency call now just for testing, we may get into trouble.
If we wait until there is really an emergency to test if Skype allows emergency calls in practice, that may be too late.
He was talking about a cell phone. You can use any cell phone at any time to make an emergency call - even if it doesn't have an active plan.
I think Telco's should be able to use the GPS in the iPhone to determine the location. So, Skype should have a way to determine the location if the user has the GPS turned on?
Skype is not allowed to access your location and pass that information on ... and what if the user disables location services.
The point is that there are too many variables, and since none of that works on a computer (where Skype is more common), emergency calls are not an option.
If the user enables location services and allows Skype to access the location, will that do? Will that benefit many iPhone users? Perhaps we suggest Skype to provide such service?
I don't think Skype is location enabled.
Having Skype be able to call 911 from a cell phone is absolutely pointless - the phone can call at any time.
It's just not possible, and no amount of questions will reveal a possibility right now. You already know the answer straight from Skype themselves. We're not going to be able to give you a different one.
You can make an emergency call from your iPhone regardless of whether or not you're a subscriber. That's the solution to your problem right there.
You can make an emergency call from your iPhone regardless of whether or not you're a subscriber. That's the solution to your problem right there.
Sorry I missed the point. So, once I have bought the iPhone, I can make an emergency call from it right away with or without a sim card. Thanks.
Yup, that's correct. Even if you put a lock code on it, anyone can make an emergency call by hitting the "Emergency Call" button in the bottom left corner of the keypad that comes up.
Just curious. Different countries have different emergency call numbers. How does the iPhone know which number to call?
There are international standards for emergency service numbers and they were built in to the GSM standard when it was devised all those years ago.
From Wikipedia
Emergency calling with Skype
I know this thread is really old, but i wanted to post something real quick. I thought I'd give you a link to a Skype page that will help clarify your original question at the beginning of the thread(link is below the paragraph). Visit this link to see if your country is supported to make emergency calls. For example, USA isn't listed and therefore can't make emergency calls. That's just what they have allowed for now. It would be nice if they did add more countries to the list. I'm sure they have received emails about this issue before. If you don't see your country listed, use your cell for now. If it's an iPhone, you can use the dial pad (not the skype app), that it came with to make the emergency call. So iThinkerGoiMac is correct in that regard. Hope that helps
Here's the link:
http://www.skype.com/en/legal/emergency-calling/
I know this thread is really old, but i wanted to post something real quick. I thought I'd give you a link to a Skype page that will help clarify your original question at the beginning of the thread(link is below the paragraph). Visit this link to see if your country is supported to make emergency calls. For example, USA isn't listed and therefore can't make emergency calls. That's just what they have allowed for now. It would be nice if they did add more countries to the list. I'm sure they have received emails about this issue before. If you don't see your country listed, use your cell for now. If it's an iPhone, you can use the dial pad (not the skype app), that it came with to make the emergency call. So iThinkerGoiMac is correct in that regard. Hope that helps
Here's the link:
http://www.skype.com/en/legal/emergency-calling/
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There a number of reasons, but not the least of which is location. Telco's use you location to call the closest emergency line, Skype wouldn't have any way of determining that. Skype isn't not a replacement for a real phone.
I was in this situation recently. I needed to make an emergency call after a car accident which blocked a country road. Nobody had *any* mobile reception for an emergency call, and the only house in sight had nobody home. However, they did have an open access point so I had access to Skype. Skype blocked the call - and instead I was required to wake up family members in the middle of the night (via skype), give them the details, and ask them to dial 999. Luckily nobody was too badly hurt, but it could have been life or death - so I think the Skype policy is bad unless they have a very good reason for it.